If you’ve tried my Godfather Pasta, you’ll know it’s essentially a hot Italian hero in pasta form. But with the release of my new Pastabilites, I wanted to give you a cold pasta salad take on the Italian hero. This recipe is also inspired by the La Scala Salad, found at iconic Joe Allen restaurant in the heart of NYC’s theatre-district, which my friend Alex affectionately called “The Meat Salad” and he’s spot-on. We’re just essentially replacing the lettuce with ditalini (small pasta tubes) and I’m calling it La Scala Pasta Salad. It’s also loaded with cheese and some other goodies making it the charcuterie board of pasta salads, done as simply and quickly as it gets.
Watch The Video!
Cook The Pasta
Prep The Ingredients
Cool The Pasta
Combine & Toss The Pasta Salad
The Taste Test
La Scala Pasta Salad
If you've tried my Godfather Pasta, you'll know it's essentially a hot Italian hero in pasta form. But with the release of my new Pastabilites, I wanted to give you a cold pasta salad take on the Italian hero. This recipe is also inspired by the La Scala Salad, found at iconic Joe Allen restaurant in the heart of NYC's theatre-district, which my friend Alex affectionately called "The Meat Salad" and he's spot-on. We're just essentially replacing the lettuce with ditalini (small pasta tubes). It's also loaded with cheese and some other goodies making it the charcuterie board of pasta salads, done as simply and quickly as it gets.
Ingredients
The Pasta
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 pound ditalini
The Salad
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1 (16-ounce) jar sliced banana peppers, drained
- 1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
- 2 (15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
- 1 pound provolone cheese (any sharpness), diced into small cubes
- 8-12 ounces dry salami, soppressata, and/or pepperoni, diced into small cubes or pieces
- 2 cups creamy Italian dressing (see Jeff's Tips)
Instructions
- Boil the Water and Cook the Pasta: Fill and 8-quart pot halfway with tap watter and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the salt and reduce the heat to medium. Add the pasta and stir. Set a timer to cook until al dente (per the package instructions), or to the shortest amount of time given. When done, drain the pasta in a colander in the sink and run cold water over it for 2-3 minutes, shaking it around until it's not longer hot (not even warm). It should be cool to the touch.
- Assemble the Pasta Salad: Transfer the drained and cooled pasta to a generously large bowl.
- Add all the remaining ingredients on top of the pasta, with the Italian dressing being the last thing you pour on top.
- Toss to coat the pasta with everything until well combined. Serve immediately or cover with a lid and chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. Goes great as a side to my Sausage & Peppers Parmesan.
Jeffrey's Tips
To make your own creamy Italian dressing, add all of the following to a large bottle, jar or salad dressing shaker. Stir with a spoon to get the mixture going, then cover with a lid and shake until combined. This will be the right amount for the pasta salad:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 6 cloves (2 tablespoons) garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
Brian Taillieu
Are these “ hot “ banana peppers?
Recipe sounds amazing. Thanks!
Jeffrey
Can use hot or mild!
Brian P
OMG! I just made this dish last night and let me tell you, its at the top of my list of FAVORITE pasta salad recipes. We tried it immediately after assembling it, and it was great, and best believe when I made sure to pack a portion for lunch, I couldn’t wait. And just when you think a pasta salad can’t get any better, it does. It probably just enhanced the overall to have lunch outside with co-workers on a nice day, but when I popped off the lid and the first thing someone asked was “oh wow, what store did you get that at?” And when I said where i got the recipe from, I was then asked if they could try it. The sound of pure delight was expressed. And I shared that sentiment. It honestly tastes like something you would get at a deli in any grocery store, but its better.
If the pasta salad recipe is this good, I absolutely CANNOT wait for the cookbook to come out this September. I also cannot wait for there to be a work potluck so I can make this recipe for the office. I guarantee there wont be any left. This is also a perfect summer dish as well. In addition, i would suggest following the Tip for making your own Creamy Italian dressing.
Jeffrey
This literally made my day. I am SO glad you loved it. And even better, it’s immortalized in my book: Pastabilities!
Cynthia A Patrick
If it a char board, it needs olives too!